Volkswagen Polo Engine & First Drive

Volkswagen Polo is certainly one of the most popular hatchbacks available in Indian market. The German automaker made hatchback sports a premium appearance with appealing features. The car being a bestselling model fetched attention from different segments. Crossovers are the latest trend in automotive sector. Several automakers have been selling their popular cars with side body cladding, which make the cars look muscular and off-road capable. Volkswagen also tried their hand in making the Polo capable for off-roading duty by manufacturing Cross Polo, which is a standard Polo with some typical off-roading capability. View Offers & Price on Polo in Mumbai at CarzPrice

Volkswagen Polo Design & Style

Few people would deny that this is one of the most modern looking and stylish hatchbacks in the market. The styling is sporty, but understated and mature at the same time. It’s a balance that none of its rivals have struck so far.With a length of 3,971mm, width of 1,682mm and height of 1,469mm, the Polo is just the right size for an urban hatchback.The Polo’s design is clean with a nearly flat shoulder line, a few chiseled touches along the body panels and gently beefed up wheel archesAt the front, the slim grille has been given touches of silver, while the large VW brand emblem rests at the centre of it. Flanking this on either side, the sharp headlamp clusters add to the aggressive image of the front.

A thin chrome garnish runs across the top of the air dam, adding a subtle premium touch.The bonnet gets two creases down its length to add an aggressive touch. These creases seem to begin where the A-pillars end.Arguably, the Polo is best viewed from the side. The design is lean and the windowline kink creates a swooping effect that leads to the front.We’re happy to note that 15-inch ‘Estrada’ alloy wheels have been well-designed and you won’t feel the need to change them.The Polo looks rather cute at the rear thanks to the square tail lights. The Germans have been obsessive in their need for cleanliness in design and apart from the minimalist badging, the VW logo itself has been utilized to double up as a lever for the tailgate.

Volkswagen Polo Cabin & Comfort

A number of new features have been added to make driving even more comfortable, and this includes new interior upholstery and finishes. The drivers’ seat is now height adjustable for extended comfort and convenience. The steering wheel is all new, with a flat bottom to give it a sporty feel and with multi-function buttons on the top models. The top end versions also get a piano finish near the Bluetooth and voice command buttons – all adding a rich feel to the car. The dual tone dashboard is also premium looking along with the all-new centre console. There are silver coloured elements all around, instead of dreary black and they help liven up the interior. The instrument cluster consists of tachometer, speedometer, odometer and trip meter. The centre multi-function display, which was bright red in colour and sometimes jarring, has been replaced with a monochrome display which is much more soothing to the eyes. A trip computer however is only part of the top models.

Like the predecessor, the Polo too has tons of space inside for the front cup holders, bottle holders and sunglass holders. The centre console also has a 12V power socket to charge your Smartphone and a parcel tray to keep it. Top versions come with a ‘Climatronic’ automatic air conditioning; with the base and mid-level variants having to suffice with manual HVAC with dust and pollen filter. In terms of entertainment, there is the stock sound with a CD/MP3 player with USB, Aux-in, SD card input and 4 Speakers. Again, the top-end ‘Highline’ variant gets Bluetooth connectivity for mobile phones and Voice Command (depending on mobile handset capability). Rear parking sensor is also part of the Highline variant, but lane-changing indicator is present across the range. The only disappointment is the legroom at the rear seats is still limited, and not much has been done in this regard.

Volkswagen Polo Engine & Gearbox

Volkswagen is betting big on downsizing the world over and the Polo GT TSI uses one of those engines which are part of this strategy. The 1.2-litre TSI mill is insanely awesome and needs little introduction, we had a gala of a time with our long term Vento TSI. The turbocharged mill thrusts out 105 PS at 5000 RPM and 175 Nm between 1500-4100 RPM, with those kind of torque numbers, the GT TSI puts even bigger petrol engines to shame. Start the engine and you will be spellbound by the NVH or rather the lack of it. The powerplant is so refined, there is absolutely nothing to be heard. In spite of that, the motor is very quick to make progress, it has a fantastic punch in all parts of the powerband – low, mid and top although top-end rush could have been better.

Driving the car in the city is a relaxing ordeal, the motor is quick to respond when you need it and the 7-speed DSG automatic transmission works its magic to keep the vehicle in the right cog at all times. When driven sedately, there is no hint of the forced induced beast which powers the Polo GT but give it the beans and the world transforms. The GT TSI takes off with urgency and hits triple digit speeds in a jiffy. While VW claims a 0-100 km/hr time of 9.7 seconds, the best we could record on our VBOX was 10.09 seconds, putting the GT TSI on par with the GT TDI in terms of outright acceleration. The problem with the GT is that the gearbox won’t let it rev more than 1200 RPM at standstill. Thus when you launch the car, there is some bit of lag which robs crucial milli seconds from the 0-100 km/hr time.

As the above table shows, the GT TSI is faster at the top-end thanks to it having a good punch near the redline which comes in quite early at just under 6000 RPM. Although the tachometer shows redline at 6500 RPM, the GT seldom crosses the 6000 RPM mark with only first gear seeing the motor rev till 6200 RPM. There are three driving modes, D for drive, S for Sports and tiptronic function which let’s you shift gears on your own (there are no paddles!). In D mode the gearbox takes it easy, shifting early and as per throttle inputs, on full throttle it swaps gears at around 5500 RPM while in S mode the motor pulls to around 6000 RPM. In manual mode the gearbox remains in the lowest gear and won’t upshift till redline but if you don’t give full throttle, it won’t downshift. Gears will automatically change in manual mode if you fail to do so.

The 7-speed DSG unit offers slick shifts and shows the urgency you would want from a performance car. The Turbocharged Stratified Injection is itself fast revving and becomes audible post 3000 RPM, creating an addictive note post 4500 RPM. 100 km/hr comes up in third gear and you can comfortably cruise in top gear at 100 km/hr with the tachometer ticking in at just 2100 RPM. The vehicle pulls very quickly to 140 km/hr (it does 150 km/hr in fourth gear) and post that progress is a bit tamed although given the road, the GT TSI will easily top out at 190 km/hr. When you turn on the car, the cluster reminds you to put your foot on the brake to engage gear, in spite of that one can change between N, D and tiptronic without touching the button on the lever. With our heavy foot and redlining day and night, the GT TSI returned a respectable mileage of 9 km/l. Driven sedately, this car will easily give double digit numbers.

Volkswagen Polo Ride & Handling

The ride is firm, typical to a Euro-spec car and I couldn’t find any potholes in Germany to comment on how good or bad it can get on the broken roads. But over a few ruts and joints, the suspension seemed pretty silent. The braking is sharper than the outgoing Polo and has a progressive and predictive feel to it. The steering setup has improved as well and weighs up well even at autobahn speeds. I’m guessing the new Polo has the same level of confidence around the twisties too.We will find that out when we have a longer drive in the supermini. I’m not sure when or where that will be, just the way Volkswagen isn’t sure if and when the new Polo will come to India. The MQB platform that gives the new Polo its matured drivetrain and handling, also comes at a price that has Volkswagen India worried. But I hope they crack the problem soon, for the new Polo promises to be a cracker of a supermini that seems poised to surpass benchmarks set by its predecessor. For information on contact details of Volkswagen car dealers in Chennai

Volkswagen Polo Safety & Security

European car manufacturers never skimp on safety, and this is more than evident in the Polo, which now comes with dual front airbags as standard. The braking system comprising of ventilated discs up front and drum in rear wark fairly effectively, and the Comfortline and Highline versions also get an Antilock Braking System (ABS). Additionally, there are 3-point front seat belts, 3-point rear outer seat belts, lap belt in the middle, speed-sensing auto door locks, fog lamps and many more features to ensure maximum safety of the occupants. To protect your precious investment, every Polo comes with an engine immobilizer and alarm with floating codes to make thefts difficult.

The updated Polo has all it takes to be the segment leader; it has a good interior, a powerful engine with the best-in-class torque figure and a good ride and handling package. The top-spec Hyundai Elite i20 is about Rs 27,000 dearer than the Polo and despite the six-speed gearbox and a nice engine it isn’t as involving to drive. Although, the Elite i20 packs in a little more features in comparison, it lacks the soul of a driver’s car. This is where the Polo seems like value for money and is the best driving hatchback one can buy at this price.Conversely, launching a good car is only half the game won and VW needs to back it with good service. This is one area that VW needs to improve as competitors like Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai are right at the top when it comes to after-sales service.